Earth mover



'E. w. AUSTIN v 2353,120

EARTH MOVER July 11,- 1944 1116a Sept. 15, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F'IEI J INVENTOR July 11, 1944.

I EARTH MOVER Filed Sept. 15, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 E. w. AUSTl N 2,353,120

Patented July 11, 1944 EARTH MQVER Ellsworth w. Austin, Cedar Rapids, llowa, assignor to La. Plant-Choate Mfg. (30., line, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. a corporation of Delaware Application September is, 11941, set-m No. 410,826

9 Claims.

a continuation in part of my application entitled "Earth mover, SerialNo. 172,094, filed Novemher i, 1937, and since issued as Patent No.

It is in general an object of my invention to provide an improved earth mover.

Another object of my invention is to provide an earth mover having a very large earth ca pacity, yet one in which the earth is positively discharged. I

Another object oi my invention is to provide and 8 adjacent their rear portions formed to support a pair of rear ground-engaging wheels 9 and M, respectively, arranged symmetrically on opposite sides of the center line E2 of the structure. The'frame rails l and t are joined behind the rear wheels by a rear crosstie l3 upon which is mounted a connector M for the reception of a fastening to another vehicle such as a trailing earth mover or a propelling tractor.

Suitably mounted on and suspended from the main frame 5 is a main earth containing bowl 05 including a pairof side plates i6 and H which 1 merge into a generally planar, horizontal bottom an earth mover in which very heavy loads can readily be started from rest, yet discharged rea sonably quickly.

an earth mover constructed in accordance with v I my invention, portions of the'figure being broken away to reduce its size and some portions being shown in elevation.

Fig. 2 is a plan of the structure illustrated in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1. the parts being displaced from their rearmost positions and parts of the showing being omitted and parts being diagrammatic to illustrate the hydraulic connections.

In its preferred form my earth mover comprises a main bowl through which an earth barrier is movable from a-rearward position toward a forward position, there being providedmeans for so moving the barrier,-. the means preferably a being hydraulic, and there also being provided a booster means for initially starting and partially propelling the barrier away from it rearmost position, such booster means likewise preferably being hydraulic.

While the earth mover of my invention is in its entirety illustrated in the above-identified Patent No. 2,273,010, it may be generally described as including a forward structure, not illustrated, which is designed to be attached to and propelled by .a suitable-draft implement such as a tractor. There is a main frame structure 6. which extends rearwardly and has side rails 1 plate 68. The bottom plate extends from the rearward portion of the machine whereat it is reinforcedby a crossbeam 09 to a transverse cutting edge 2i at the leading portion of the bottom l8. Acting together the side plates 96 and ll and the bottom plate G8 are designed to re-' ceive and support excavated earth.

Preferably the forward portion of the bowl so defined is closed by a front apron, not illustrated rails 2 disposed at the top of the side walls iii and H, respectively. The pusher M is fabricated of suitable plates and structural shapes all of which are designed to reinforce the central portion of the pusher to receive in a socket 20 the forward end of a piston rod 27 fastened in place by a removable pin 28.

The piston rod forms part of a main actuating mechanism such as a hydraulically expansible chamber and extends into a hydraulic cylinder 29 disposed centrally and rearwardly of the pusher beingprimarily mounted in a supporting frame 3| secured to the crossbeam l9 and to a comparable crossbeam 32. Within the cylinder 28 is a, double acting piston (not shown) connected to the piston rod 21.

In order to actuate the piston rod 21 so that the pusher 2| will similarly be moved between its rearmost position, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1, and its forward position, as shown in broken lines in that figure, a suitable hydraulic circuit under operator control is provided.

- A tank 83 of hydraulic fluid such asoil is provided in a suitable location and is connected by an intake conduit 34 to a hydraulic pressure pump 36 of any suitable kind, wh ch preferably is driven from a suitable source of power such as a tractor engine. From the pump 36 a pipe ing a forward. force on the pusher 2|".

31 extends to a port 36 in a valve casing within which is a valve (not shown) suitably rotated by an operating handle 4|. At one position of the valve fluid under pressure from the port 3?. is conducted immediately to a port 42 which is connected by a pipe 43 to an apertured boss 44 at the rearward end of thecylinder 29 so as to subject the rearward face of the piston therein to the pressure of the fluid. Simultaneously, the valve within the casing 39 preferably interconnects a pipe 46 leading from an apertured boss 41 at the forward end of the cylinder back through the valve casing and through a port 46 to a return pipe 48 extending to the tank 83. Thus, simultaneously with the supply of pressure fluid to the rearward end of the cylinder 29 fluid is released from the forward end there- The difference in pressure causes theexpulsion of the piston rod 21 from the cylinder and the advancing movement of the pusher 2|".

A reversal of operation of the valve handle 4i causes the pressure fluid from pipe 31 to be conducted through the pipe 46 to the forward portion of the cylinder 29 while simultaneously fluid is released from the rearward part of the cylinder through the pipe 43 to and through the pipe In this fashion the 49 back to the tank 33. pusher 2! is returned. It can be hydraulically advanced and retracted or held in any selected location.

Usually the pusher is subjected to its greatest load when first leaving its rearward position as illustrated in, Fig. 1. If the hydraulic cylinder 29 is made sufficiently large in diameter to start the load with alacrity, then its volume is so large as to require a relatively slow forward movement of the pusher. As an alternative, there can be used a greatly oversized pump which works at an extreme load in the beginning portion of the pusher ejecting movement and then works to handle an exceedingly large volume for the remaining part of the time as the load decreases during discharge.

To overcome this difllculty, that is, to provide adequatepower for starting the load, yet to keep the hydraulic cylinder 29 relatively small in di--v ameter and vdlume so that a relatively rapid final ejecting movement will be produced, and

so that a standard capacity pump can be used, I have in accordance with my invention provided a place on the mounting frame it for a second booster cylinder 5| which is preferably disposed with its axis in the same plane as and parallel to the axis of the cylinder 29 centrally of the transverse dimension of the earth mover. Within the cylinder is provided a piston (not shown) preferably of the double acting variety, and which is fast on a piston. rod 52 extending forwardly. In one position, preferably the rearmost posi-v tion of the pusher 2|, the piston rod is adapted to abut or substantially to abut a pressure strap 63 supplied on the rearward side of the pusher assist in starting the heavily loaded pusher until i such time as the piston within the cylinder ll reachesthe end of its stroke. Obviously, the piston rod 62 can then travel no farther. but the piston .rod 2! continues the stroke at a relstively rapid rate since it is no longer necessary for the pump 36 to supply the starting or booster cylinder with oil. Hence, the initial part of the dischafge is made undergreat powenbut ,the final portion is made at a relatively high speed. After the pusher has accomplished its-purpose and is to be returned, the valve controller 4| is reversed and pressure at the rearward ends of cylinders 29 and BI is relieved, while it is imposed upon the forward ends of those cylinders. This is effective to drive the piston rod 62 to its innermost position within the cylinder ll while the piston rod 21 follows suit. Usually the piston rod 52 arrives at its rearmost position considerably in advance or the time that thepiston rod 21 arrives. atits rearmost position, although this depends somewhat upon the flow characteristics of the piping involved. While the initial return movement of the pusher 2| may somewhat be slowed because of the necessity of supplying both cylinders with oil, still the final return. movement is relatively rapid, and since all of this return is under substantially no load. the pump can readily supply the oil at a rapid rate. After they have arrived at their rearmost position; as shown in Fig. 1, the parts are ready to repeat the operation.

I claim: 7 1. An earth mover comprising/a main bowl, an earth barrier movable in said main bowl throughout a predetermined range. hydraulic means for moving said barrier throughout said range. and

' means for supplementing said hydraulic means 2|. The booster cylinder BI is provided with a Y pipe connection 64 joining the pipe-and is likewise provided with a pipe connection 66 joining the pipe 46. With this arrangement of the parts when they are in their rearmost position, when the pipe 43 is subjected to a high hydraulic pressure not only is the cylinder 29 likewise subjected thereto,

throughout part only of said range.

2. An earth mover comprising an" earth 0011- taining bowl, means forming a movable earth sustaining end wall for said bowl, hydraulic means for moving said wall between a rearward position and a forward position, and additional hydraulic means for moving said wall away from said rearward position andonly partway toward. said forward position.

8. An earth mover comprising a bowl, an earth barrier movable in said bowl throughout a.pre-, determined range. means for so moving said. barrier, and additional means for moving said barrier throughout part only of said range.

4. 'An earth mover comprising abowl. a pusher movable in said bowl throughout a predetermined range, hydrsulic means-for so movingssid pusher, additional hydraulic means for moving said pusher throughpart only. of said range, and means for concurrently regulating hydraulic flow to and from said hydraulic means and said additional hydraulic means.

5. An earth mover comprising a bowl, a pusher moveblein said bowl, guides 'for said pusher on the sides of said bowl, means acting centrally between said guides to move said pusher throughout a predetermined range, and additional means acting centrally between said guides to assist in,

moving said pusher through part only of said .verse direction for advancing said pusher for part only of said predetermined distance.

7.1m earth mover comprising a frame, a

pusher mounted to move with respect to said frame, ahydraulic mechanism having a predetermined stroke for so moving said pusher, a

second hydraulic mechanism having a diflerent stroke for so moving said pusher, a hydraulic circuit, means for connecting said hydraulic mechanisms in said circuit in parallel. and a common controller for said hydraulic mechathrough said predetermined path: and a second hydraulic member associated with said pusher for supplementing the action of said first hydraulic member'in moving said pusher over a portion only of said predetermined path.-

9. An earth mover comprising: a frame; a bowl carried by said frame and provided with a rear end wall; a pusher mounted withinsaid bowl for movement therein over a predetermined distance; a first hydraulic membercarried by said well and arranged to move said pusher through said predetermined distance: and a second hydraulic member carried by said we!) and arranged to supplement said first hydraulic memsaid predetermined distance.

her in moving said pusher over a portion only oi EIJBWORI'H W. AUSTIN, 

